Location
State: Estonia
Region: Muhu Parish
County: Saare
Parish: Muhu
Other references to the location
Mäla village, 870 m to the East and North-East from the Kuivastu-Pädaste road along the forest road and the field, on a grassfield.
Coordinates
lat=58.593727817278, lon=23.281687548237
58° 35′ 37″ N, 23° 16′ 54″ E
Description
Ligikaudu 100 m läbimõõduga lage ja tasane ala põllul, kus enne maaparandust asus Hiiemägi.
Narrative
Village shrine used for worship and sacrifice. Estonia’s sacred groves Sacred groves (hiied) are the oldest nature reserves in Estonia, preserved from development out of respect for the forces of nature and ancestors and used as a wellspring of vitality. Estonia has close to 600 known sacred groves or grove-like sites. The area of a sacred grove can span 100 ha and often it can encompass sacred springs, stones, and festive and funeral sites. The sacred grove was used for prayer, offerings, councils, healing, celebration of days on the folk calendar by people in at least one village. The principle of non-violence to people, animals and plants is paramount in the sacred grove. People visit the sacred grove in a clean and sober state and domesticated animals and pets are kept away. Over the centuries, foreign overlords have attempted to destroy and occupy the indigenous sanctuaries to break the people’s spirit of resistance and sense of self-worth. In spite of this, many shrines survived.
Attraction
No special features.
Availability
870 m by foot down a forest path and across fields.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
none
Local info
Marker for protected archaeological monument in Estonian
Capacity
0-9
Publicity
Unknown
Legal Status
Private land, heritage conservation
